After coming to Mumbai he experienced & witnessed the suffering of the working people.
Even at a tender age he was vigilant to observe the injustice and abusive behaviour
faced by the Mathadi workers. He was shocked by these events and deeply hurt. As time
progressed he decided to raise voice against such intolerant attitude towards these hard
working and honest people and decided to form an organised Community viz. Mathadi
Workers Union on December 15, 1963. With a strong thought of ‘United We Stand, Divided
we Fall’ the Workers community joined hands and collectively raised their voice against
this injustice.
With no sense of fear for life, imprisonment, fasting even in riotous circumstances,
regular protests were conducted. The great leaders like Late Yashwantraoji Chavan,
Narendraji Tidke, Balasaheb Desai and Hon'ble Sharadchandraji Pawar actively
participated & led way ahead in this struggle, saw that their work was instrumental in
helping the poor Mathadi Workers who were deeply stabbed with poverty and injustice.
This eventually led to Passing of the Mathadi Act in 1969, and it is Late Annasaheb Patil
who can be honoured with the Tittle of Father of Matahdi Act. Thus the new word
'Mathadi' came into existence under law. Under this law, workers got the benefit of
raise in salary, provident fund, bonus and gratuity pay.
Late Annasaheb Patil’s goal was the all-round development of Mathadi workers, for which
he organized various initiatives. The Mathadi Workers were paid by the owners for their
daily livelihood, but during the struggle, the owners stopped paying money to supress
this movement. During this period the workers had only one option of borrowing from
private lenders.
Workers' union got saddened because it was not possible for the workers to repay their
loan with higher interest. On 6th July, 1969, for the release of the workers from this
vicious circle, he founded the Greater Mumbai Mathadi Workers Cooperative Credit Society
Limited. Today it is known as Annasaheb Patil Cooperative Credit Society Limited. This
little plantation has turned into a tree today. This institution, having a working
capital of more than Rs. 500 crores, will now complete 50 years; definitely a moment of
pride. In the last 49 years, the organization has consistently got Class 'A' rating that
too being with no intention of making profits. It is the policy of the society to
provide loans at a lower interest rate and pay higher interest on the deposits of the
members.
Now carrying on this Legacy Late Annasaheb Patil's son Mr. Ramesh Annasaheb Patil is
looking after the work as Managing Director of this historic institute, which brings
financial backing to the life of Mathadi workers. Through his innovative wisdom and
perseverance, he has implemented many schemes for the workers by making many strategic
changes in the functioning of the organization. For example, if the members die for any
reason, their entire debt is exempted from the mortgage fund whereby their family gets
financial protection armour. Financial Assistance is provided to Members for Membership
Assistant Fund for serious illnesses, special surgery etc. It was Annasaheb's dream that
the children of Mathadi workers do not end up as Mathadi workers, they should learn and
achieve excellence in all aspects of life. To achieve this vision Annasaheb Patil Smruti
Vidyarthi Paritoshik Yojna was formed wherein the children of Mathadi workers are
encouraged to move towards excellence.
Annasaheb had a strong desire to make Mathadi workers happy. The workers did not have
enough funds to buy clothes and household items for the people during festivals. In view
of this, in 1976, Annasaheb Patil founded the Mathadi Workers' Co-operative Customer
Society whereby the supply of cheap yet good quality products to the Mathadi workers was
started.
Since the work of Mathadi workers is risk bearing, there is a possibility of an accident
while working. Considering this fact, in 1973, for the purpose of providing fast and
free medical care to the workers was initiated by setting up a hospital, under the
"Mathadi Hospital Trust". Under this trust, the medical services and free medicines are
given to the workers and their entire family for only Rs.100 per month.
Late Annasaheb Patil was also active in the Political Sector. He had actively
participated in the freedom struggle as activists of the Congress, the Navy rebellion,
the United Maharashtra movement and the Goa Movement. Since 1962, he was a Congress
worker. He was then the President of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee and the
Vice President of the Mumbai Congress Central Coordination Committee. On 8th July, 1980,
elected as a member of Maharashtra State Legislative Council.
He has widely contributed in the Labour Sector. He was instrumental in the formation of,
workers association of F.H. Potiya Brothers in 1954. From 1954 to 1962, he was an active
participant in the movement of dock workers. In 1962, a trade union was established in
the name of Hamal and Gadi (now Mathadi). On August 9, 1962, the first set of workers
were given 25% increase in their wages. With the establishment of Law and Mathadi Board,
the Maharashtra Mathadi Hamal and other workers (Employment Regulation and Welfare) Act,
1969, got success in providing security cover to lakhs of workers. In the year 1972, he
also took up the challenge of bringing justice to Khoka Board Worker's by protesting by
way of strike, for which he was imprisoned.
He also held position of President and other prominent positions in various
organisations. He was the Chairman of the Greater Mumbai Unsecured Labour Conference in
Mumbai in 1966. The grocery market and the shops circle- Greater Mumbai, Freight Traffic
Workers Board, Khokka Making and Timber Market Labour Board, Bombay Iron and Steel
Labour Board, The Railway Goods Clearing and Forwarding Establishment Labour Board for
Greater Bombay, Maharashtra Mathadi, Hamal and other working people (Regulation of
Employment and Welfare) Act- 1969 wherein he was a member of the Board of Consultative
Committee.
He was also Founder and Secretary of organisations like the Greater Mumbai Mathadi
Workers Cooperative Credit Society Limited and Shri. Kadsiddheshwar Nagari Sahakari
Patpedhi Limited, Mumbai. On December 15, 1963, the Maharashtra State Mathadi Transport
and General Kamgar Union, Mathadi Workers' Co-operative Consumer Society Limited,
Founder and General Secretary of the Boribandhar Railway License Porter co-operative.
Mahamumbai Mathadi Workers' Co-operative Society Limited and founder and president of
All India Maratha Mahasangh. In Mahamumbai Cottage Manufacturers' Cooperative Centre
Ltd. Mumbai and Nashik Road Central Railway License Porter Cooperative Credit Society
Limited he was the Chairman.
He was also keen in development of Sports infrastructure. He was the President of
Maharashtra State Kustigir Parishad (1978) and Vice-Chairman of Mumbai City Training
Team.
He was the Vice President of All India Maratha Education Council - Mumbai Department
Committee. He was a trustee of the Shri. Madhavrao Maharaj Scindia Foreign Scholarship
Fund.
He has played an equally important role in the Social Sector. On January 29, 1979, the
Javali Taluka Vikas Parishad conferred the title 'Javali Mitra'. The Government of
Maharashtra appointed him as the Special Executive Magistrate. He has undertaken the
Rural Development of various Zone; Satara District Development Council - Mumbai, Patan
and Karad Taluka (District Satara) Wang Division Development Council – Mumbai, Javali
taluka development council (1979), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, He
was the President of the District Planning and Development Council of Brihanmumbai
District. Advisor of Javali and Mahabaleshwar Taluka (Dist. Satara) Pragati Mandal
(Reg.) And Sahgaon Panchkrashi (Taluka Javali) Pragati Mandal, Mumbai.
In the Later stage of his life, Late Annasaheb Patil realized that majority of the
workers were from Maratha society while working for Mathadi movement. Due to increasing
population, there is no certainty of income due to agricultural divisions, irregular
rainfall and crop diseases affecting crops. This resulted in high debts through personal
lenders which made the situation of the Maratha very vulnerable & difficult. So these
farmers used to work in Mumbai to live up to their livelihood. Hence with a vision to
stop this uncontrollable situation faced by the workers and to promote the Maratha
community, in the year 1981, Late Annasaheb Patil established the 'All India Maratha
Mahasangha'. This was a Historic event as he proposed and promoted that criteria for
reservations for the Maratha Community and also elsewhere should be Economic rather than
any other criteria viz. caste, religion etc. Throughout the whole of Maharashtra, during
the course of 1 to 2 years, he explained created public awareness of the Maratha
Mahasangh in Maharashtra. He then raised the struggle through several gatherings,
meetings and conventions to bring various problems of the Maratha community to the
government. But the response from the government to this Maratha movement was very pale.
On March 22, 1982, he took a huge procession with millions of Marathas on the roads of
Mumbai, but the government unable to take the required proactive steps towards
implementation of the required measures. So, Annasaheb was very hurt. On the second day
of this procession, on 23rd March 1982, this man of strength and courage, who stood up
against all odds and fought like a real warrior all the time for the common people,
sacrificed his own life for the Maratha community. He is person of courage, hard work,
perseverance, self-respect, with so many achievements, a role model for many, is our
inspiration, that makes us strive for achieving our Goals and objectives; Keeping in
mind the growth of our country & society.
Social commitment